WithRyan Gosling's megahit crowd-pleaser,Project Hail Mary, flying high in theaters right now, it's givenHarry Styles' 2017 debut solo hit "Sign of the Times" new life. The song, performed in a moving karaoke scene in the film by Sandra Hüller's character, Eva Stratt, is now going viral again and re-charting following its peak at No. 4 on theBillboard Hot 100in April 2017.
American Songwriterseemingly picked up on the trend, as they just published a list of songs that "accidentally became humanity's theme song thanks to classic spacemovies." They have the 1998 anthem "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" byAerosmithfromArmageddonand the 1972 yacht rock classic "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" byLooking GlassfromGuardians of the Galaxy. But at the top?
David Bowie's 1972 cosmic calling card, "Starman," is the ultimate theme song for humanity. A message about hope for futuregenerations, the song was the lead single from Bowie's fifth studio album,The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders FromMars, and launched into a new orbit withRidley Scott's 2015sci-fiepic,The Martian, starringMatt Damon,Jessica Chastain,Chiwetel Ejiofor, and so many more familiar faces.
"Perhaps it's an obvious song choice for a movie about a man trapped in space, but David Bowie's 'Starman' has never sounded more at home than it did in the 2015 film,The Martian,"American Songwritersays. "As Matt Damon's character starts to get a grip on his marooned trip to Mars, this song gets a needle drop, giving viewers a dose of classic rock magic."
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The film, which follows the action-, comedy-, and emotion-packed mission of getting an astronaut abandoned on Mars back home to Earth, was a monstersuccess, raking in $630,621,406 worldwide and sevenOscarnominations. The track, from the 2012 remaster of Bowie's album, plays during a montage ofNASAhatching their plan to bring Damon's Mark Watney home.
"Not only does this song have major cultural appeal, but it's a classic for a reason,"ASwrites. "Even without the space imagery this film provides, 'Starman' became a universal favorite. Hearing this song in this setting feels like opening a capsule sent from humanity to some unknown, attempting to encapsulate what we're all about."
Listen toStarmanabove.The Martianis available to rent or buy onPrime Video.
This story was originally published byParadeon Mar 29, 2026, where it first appeared in theNewssection. Add Parade as aPreferred Source by clicking here.
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